The Fair Education Alliance welcomes some of the proposals in the Department for Education’s higher education proposals, however, much of what has been put forward will create barriers to university for the poorest students and will disproportionately burden those students after they graduate.
Why higher education access matters
The Fair Education Alliance exists because fairness in education is crucial to fairness in wider society. Preparing young people to access employment, further education and training is one of our four priorities as an organisation. We therefore welcome elements of the government’s proposal that brings greater investment to lifelong learning.
However, a university degree remains an important lever for economic advancement. We know that disadvantaged students are less likely to get a university place than their wealthier peers, and the university they attend is less likely to be high-ranking. They are also more likely to drop out in their first year. However, university graduates earn substantially higher salaries over the course of their lives. Putting barriers to this for poorer students will worsen existing inequalities.
It is essential that we listen to evidence, expertise, and the voices of the young people who will be affected by these proposals. Our positions are informed by consultation with our Youth Steering Group, comprised of 20 young people between 14 and 24 years old.
What we welcome:
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement, which brings more flexibility to tertiary education. Our Youth Steering Group advised that, for young people to be more motivated to explore vocational options, those options need to be made more visible and attractive.
What we oppose:
Minimum entry requirements to qualify for student loans. This will overwhelmingly impact poorer young people. As a member of our Youth Steering Group argued, ‘These recommendations will hit the people who can't afford to go to university the hardest … Essentially this punishes disadvantaged pupils for not having access to the quality of education that would enable them to get the grades.’ Others noted that this would create even further barriers for students speaking English as an additional language.
Student number controls. When numbers are limited, the most disadvantaged are likely to miss out. We must ensure that a broad range of courses continue to be offered to all students. Members of our Youth Steering Group expressed concern that the arts and humanities would be defined as ‘low value’, that a reduction in numbers ‘will not allow young people to follow their passions or creative disciplines’, and that ‘a focus on careers rather than passions starts stress early and disregards wellbeing.’
Changes to the loan repayment scheme. Compared to the current system, the highest-earning graduates will see their repayments fall substantially, while middle and some lower earners will pay more.
What needs careful consideration:
Increased affordability of Foundation Year courses. While lowering the cost of these courses – which are an important route for preparing young people with the potential to succeed at university – is positive, the risks that universities will find them too expensive to deliver must be mitigated.
The National State Scholarship. While we welcome increased opportunities for disadvantaged young people to access university, the focus on high achievement means that those who have faced the greatest challenges are likely to miss out. Members of our Youth Steering Group expressed concerns about how 'disadvantaged' and 'high achieving' would be defined, as narrow definitions would fail to widen participation, and high-achieving students are not those most in need of support.
Tuition freeze. Especially in the current economic climate, this is important for increasing access, however we must ensure that universities have the resource to widen participation and deliver a range of courses.
The government aims to deliver a fairer system for students, and we hope that includes all students, regardless of background. We look forward to supporting our members and Youth Steering Group to develop a further response through the present consultations.